UPD enlisting the community

If you own a business in Ukiah, you've likely experienced problems related to transients, whether it be vandalism, loitering, theft or littering, and may not have known who to call.

"Some businesses are reluctant to call us when people are sleeping there or using their property as a bathroom, because they think we're really busy," Ukiah Police Chief Chris Dewey said, explaining that while his officers are indeed busy dealing with more immediate safety issues, he now has a staff person tasked with helping business owners lessen the impacts from transients.

"We want them to know that we're here to help," said Nancy Sawyer, one of the UPD's newest Community Services Officers, who for the past month or so has been meeting with the staff and owners of local businesses struggling to combat recurrent problems.

"We may not be able to solve each issue for them, but we can give ideas for something that might work for them, or hook them up with other resources," Sawyer said, adding that every conversation she has gives her valuable information that may help during the next visit. "It gets more and more exciting."

Earlier this month, Sawyer met with the manager of Lucky supermarket, Mark Poston, to talk about how transients are affecting the store on East Perkins Street near South Orchard Avenue in the Pear Tree Shopping Center.

"Last year it was really bad," Poston said, describing the problems as stemming largely from groups that appeared to be young people hanging around the area to hoping to get hired to trim marijuana. Their numbers are greater, he said, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., because the "Buddy Eller Center closes at 8 a.m., and they have nowhere else to go."

Poston said the lawn areas near the store appear to be a "cozy place to hang out," and he finds himself telling the same people to move repeatedly as they just travel from one spot to another in the area.

"It is the same core group of people again and again," said Jeff Spharler of Sonoma Sweepers, who maintains the parking lot for the center, adding that he seems to be constantly picking up trash and cleaning up graffiti. "We spend extra time each day asking people to leave, and the next day, they're back again, just yo-yoing from one place to another."

Sawyer said it can be difficult to arrest people for problems such as loitering and littering, but vandalism, shoplifting and trespassing are definitely at least citable offenses. And sometimes, she said, businesses come up with creative solutions for common problems that she can share with others.

Another group coming up with creative solutions lives on Clara Avenue near Mason Street, an area that resident Kelly Gregory said has been taken over by transients.

"It's getting out of control," said Gregory, explaining that transients sleep in the weeds and use residents' water, often stealing hoses when they do.

"I've had people poop in front of my house and leave their toilet paper," she said, adding that she wanted her neighbors to know the effort she and others were making to stop the onslaught.

Gregory said another resident named Charlie Miller helped clean up the area by cutting down the weeds and removing sleeping bags and many other things left behind.

"The water was also cut off," she said. "We're trying to clean up the neighborhood."

For other members of the community who want to help, Sawyer is also coordinating the Volunteers in Police Service program, and is currently recruiting people who want to officially volunteer with the UPD.

Sawyer said anyone 18 or older can apply, whether they are young people needing work experience, or retired people wanting to continue serving their community.

"They'll probably be helping me with the business outreach, or there are some special projects we could put people on," she said, adding that everyone will need to undergo a background investigation and medical screening.

For more information or to apply, contact Sawyer at 467-5708, or nsawyer@cityofukiah.com